OCS Packing List

[semperfi1812]

Marine's are Expiditionary

A good thing to start to learn or at least think about now and for the future is that the marine corps is expiditionary, light and mobile. Try to prepare yourself in that way. It takes effort and as everyone is eluding to, try and prepare for that. I suggest taking all of the ideas and trying to be as simple and mobile as possible. Be light and ready to move. Take the very bare minimum. Don't bring anything that you don't absolutely need to because you will have to purchase everything that you absolutely need out there. Then when you get a moment of free time, take it to make yourself more light and more mobile. I only say this because when they do thrash your wall and foot lockers, or when you are preping for the hump at 0030 hours and you would rather be getting some much needed rest, you will be glad you had prepared in advance. If you have alot of extra things, you will be the one taking alot more time to reorganize or find the extra crap you didn't need.
Take it for what it's worth.
Good luck.

 

[rahall79]

Just wanted to add that the Vaseline is also good for the females out there. If you don't have Brittany Spears legs, you can get a bit of a heat rash during long runs or humps.

 

[phishnguy]

white tape?

What's the 1/2' and 1' white tape all about, for blisters?

 

[Crowbar]

D'oh! I should have said 1". It's for marking things.

 

[msuplaya8]

Bring one of those nifty red LED lights that you can stay switched without having to hold it down. Much easier to use than the bulky flashlights when writing letters or essays, and the batteries last longer.

What color should the light be? I'm about to order some stuff online and i saw the website for this little light, but i wasn't sure if it was right? here is the link


http://www.lightfighter.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=112

why would red be better than just a white light? They have red white blue and green?

just curious,

thanks.

 

[3000GT06]

Red light is not going to bother the other candidates (that are trying to sleep while you are either studying or writing letters) as much as white light. Also it keeps you from having to "regain" your night vision. At OCS they will give you a moonbeam with a red lense, but a red LED is a great idea. If your moonbeam goes out, and your LED goes out you can always just go to the head, the lights there are always on.

 

[Crowbar]

Got a PM earlier asking for last minute tips on what to take. Here's what I sent back, in case some of this wasn't covered earlier:

What else would yo recommend bringing? I would appreciate any advice you could give me.

I can't stress this enough-get extra PT shorts and take them. You will wear PT shorts as your underwear (male and female do this) every day at OCS. You only get issued 2 pairs and they wear out, fall apart, get lost, don't get washed, etc etc. Also, some dark towels are a good idea. You get issued white towels, some of which will be "inspection" towels. Not good to wash/dry your dirty ass with a white inspection towel. Last year I wore/used dark towels and left my insp. towels alone and nobody hassled me for it (several other people did this too). Even if you aren't taking black boots, take a tin or two of shoe polish, which will be used to mark your PT shirts. Yes, you will get a stencil and marker (by the way, Sharpie makes this laundry marker called Rub a Dub-get those immediately, the crappy marker you get issued washes off!) to put your name on your shirts, but your PT shirts will have a huge letter/number (your company/plt) on the back and shoe polish, even though it washes off and has to be redone is the only way for a whole plt to mark their shirts at night. Plenty of green t-shirts and black socks are a must. Make sure to take some thick cushioned socks and some thin dress style socks to wear for humps and such. If you have combination locks that you already have the combo ingrained into your head for, take them. It beats having to learn 2 or 3 new combos. Foot spray/cream (you'll get issued foot powder but that dont' always cut the mustard at night when you want your doggies to air out a little), moleskin, 1" tape, all good ideas. If you have access to a new MARPAT cover, take one. Don't say anything, though, you will still get issued 1 cover and 1 boonie cover. Your spare can be for inspections so it's not sweaty and gross. Other than that, a couple of big mesh laundry bags, maybe a jock strap (sports bra for the ladies) or 2 wouldn't hurt either. Just pack efficiently. I plan on taking 2 seabags but I don't plan on having either one more than 1/2 full. That will leave plenty of room for all the new stuff we get issued. Take toiletries, too. Last year guys were authorized electric razors so I'm taking my old Norelco (don't want to bang up the new Quadra Action) with me.

The only civvies I take will be the ones I wear in and maybe one spare set. Everything else I'm going to leave in my truck so I can get to it on weekends but not have to lug it around. Be prepared your first weekend off to hit Wal-Mart and stock back up.

Somebody else said it, and the Zip Loc bags are a must have. Some quart, some gallon sized, label each bag and stuff it full. It's a lot easier to chase down a handful of bags than 10 pairs of socks, 10 shirts, all your hygiene gear, so on and so forth.

Good luck to everybody that's going. See you there.

 

[LIFTER]

I'm wondering if i'm going to catch heat for wearing my own war belt - I bought one at that little place in quanitco on the last liberty, mainly because I remember what a pain it was getting my issue belt clean after a nasty event.

anybody know if taking a new belt/canteen covers, and wearing them during the nasty events, and saving the issue gear for garrison/inspection will fly?

 

[PRIMBESY]

Wearing my own belt

Lifter,
There is no problem with wearing your own belt, but make sure it's a MC standard issue. If it's not, don't even think about it. I made this mistake as a PFC at 2dMarDiv and got my ass tore apart by some 03s.

 

[rahall79]

Just finished most of my packing for OCC-186 this summer. Including a pair of black boots, I have a seabag about half full. For those of you that have been before...do I have enough room for all my stuff I will get there? Thanks a million in advance.

 

[JJEXP]

especially if you fly back from Quantico, all your issued uniforms can go in it.

I thought they took back the uniforms they issued once training is complete. Am I misinformed?

 

[DocT]

I have access to a seabag even though I'm not prior enlisted (2 brothers who are Marines). Should I take that instead of a duffel or will I get singled out as a prior for having that kind of gear even though I'm a non-prior candidate? I think the last thing I want is extra attention.

 

[LIFTER]

1. bring the sea bag. You need to be able to carry all of your crap with both hands free. i can't overestimate how important this is - you will carry all of your crap around, PLUS the two huge, heavy issue bags that you pick up at quantico. even if you just use that sea bag for the 4 days before you get "dropped," it is MORE than worth it.

2. you won't be singled out for having one even if you aren't a prior. The guys that WILL be singled out are the ones with suitcases and big-ass, unwieldly bags that have their stuff spilling everywhere during the endless admin moves around brown field.

3 you keep your uniforms after juniors. Mine are on the table right now, freshly washed

4. you should be issued a sea bag within the second week of OCS. If not, (i doubt that will happen) you can easily get one in q-town during liberty.

 

[wutzu]

One of the candidates from my office recommended those stain defender pants for the civvies you wear when you report. said they don't get as nasty for the 3 days you wear them.

 

[teufelhunden83]

Packing List

I'm headed to PLC-C this summer and was hoping some of you prior OCS'ers could give me (and anyone else that happens upon this thread) some advice on things to take and things not to take. Based on information I've found elsewhere, I've compiled the following list. Please advise me on items I need to remove, items I need to add, or items that should stay put. Prior OCS attendees only please.

Clothing:
1 pair wrinkle/stain resistant, dark colored pants
1 polo shirt
4 pair solid white socks
4 pair coyote brown or black smart-wool boot socks
4 pair OD silkies
4 pair OD PT shirts
1 pair running shoes
1 pair boots
2 white T-shirts

Hygene:
1 stick deoderant
1 toothbrush
1 tube toothpaste
1 pack dental floss
1 large and 1 small bottle of mouthwash
1 large and 1 small bottle of hand sanitizer
1 tube sunscreen
1 bottle liquid soap
1 box Q-tips
1 pack wet wipes
1 stick Body Glide
1 razor
1 pack 12 blades
moleskin

Misc.:
2 Sharpie Rub-A-Dub markers
1 lint-free rag
6 in. ruler
4 erasable black pens
4 erasable red pens
2 mechanical pencils
1 eraser
2 rolls 1 in. athletic tape
1 red lens flashlight or headlamp
2 pair boot blousing garters
1 voided check
1 dark colored towel
Camo-off
1 name stamp (last name in 1/2 in. capital letters)
$400 cash (lots of $1's and $5's)
ATM card
Driver's license

Any and all advice from priors is muchly appreciated. Oorah!